The ECOWAS Technical Committee for Standards Management (TMC) convened in Praia, Cape Verde, on July 28–29, 2025, to examine and validate revised regional standards for fortified foods, including iodized salt, fortified vegetable oils, and fortified wheat flour.
Supported by UNICEF, the initiative aims to combat persistent malnutrition in West Africa by aligning food fortification standards with international benchmarks. It forms part of the implementation of the Common Industrial Policy for West Africa (PICAO) and the ECOWAS Standards Harmonization Model (ECOSHAM).
The session also endorsed the reconstitution of the bureaux for several sectoral technical harmonization committees—THC2 (Food Products), THC4 (Building and Construction Materials), THC8 (Textiles and Clothing), and THC9 (Information and Communication Technologies)—to reflect recent membership changes within the regional bloc.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Lassané Kaboré, ECOWAS Director of Industry, emphasized the importance of harmonized standards in protecting public health and improving the competitiveness of local industries. He also announced an upcoming process to develop standards for complementary foods for infants and young children, in collaboration with UNICEF.
UNICEF’s Regional Nutrition Advisor for West and Central Africa, Mr. Siméon Nanama, stressed the urgent need to address malnutrition, describing it as a major barrier to development. He highlighted large-scale food fortification as a cost-effective and sustainable strategy, reaffirming UNICEF’s commitment to supporting ECOWAS in the development of nutritional standards, especially for vulnerable groups.
Also speaking at the session, Ms. Ana Paula Spencer, President of Cape Verde’s Institute for Quality Management and Intellectual Property (IGQPI), commended ECOWAS for its leadership in establishing a regional quality infrastructure. She noted that standardized regulations are essential for promoting safer, fairer trade within and beyond the region.
The outcomes of the Praia meeting are expected to strengthen food safety, support regional integration, and advance the fight against malnutrition across West Africa.
